


Overboard

by DragonheadSkilax



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Drowning, Gen, Nautical, One Shot, reign of them update
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-18 19:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20318452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonheadSkilax/pseuds/DragonheadSkilax
Summary: The group sets sail to the open blue. The long voyage causes tension between everyone. Who knew a ship needed so much tending to do and cooperation?





	Overboard

**Author's Note:**

> This was written before the Reign of Them update so it was nice that there was things in the game now that could support having this one-shot exist. So now this can be posted and not look like an AU.

The sky grew darker as the clouds bellowed over their heads. Strong gusts made the vessel rock up and down like a seesaw over the growing waves. The boards underneath Wilson’s feet creaked. He was becoming uneasy seeing the wooden boards squeeze out water when a foot steps down like a juicy orange.

Looking at the rest of the passenger’s faces, he could tell they must all be thinking the same thing. Chef Warly had his body leaning over his travel crockpot as so did Walani with her surfboard. Wes kept his arms wrapped around the small primate Wilbur. The primate looked around like an active puffin darting its head to scope the landscape. Wilbur seemed to have an especially strong dislike for the weather as he was being so restless to sit still. Woodie picked his fingernails onto the handle of the anchor whether from hunger or anxiety, but it’s better hoped that it isn’t from hunger.

From the looks of it we were all thinking the same thing, we are not going to make it.

Wilson looked over to the oh so great captain of the ship who planned this trip to find a larger island. Bringing along every person with supplies to the cargo boat. This was going to be a one way trip, but he wouldn't want to think of it in the grim sense. 

“Mr. Carter!”, Wilson exclaimed.

At the center of the ship was a tall man clinging to the steering wheel facing towards the horizon line. He turned his head to his side but not face directly at who called out to him. 

“May I must remind you to call me _Captain_ Carter, Higgsbury?”

Hearing that response made Wilson's eye twitched in annoyance. “We haven’t found anything and it’s close to nightfall, we should consider either heading another direction or head back.”

Maxwell turns back to face him, he opened his mouth but delayed his words, “You really think we could turn back now after sailing this long? The darkness would catch us before then. Now, do you perhaps have a compass?” He rolled the gold toned compass with his left hand with a tinge of irritation across his face. The reflection of light from the compass flashed at his eyes like Maxwell’s wrinkled brow. 

Woodie looked back and forth between the two men. He raised his finger to speak his thoughts, “Well there’s a chance we coulda reach the edge of the world and would really throw off plans, eh?”

Maxwell gave a quick chuckle, “The boundaries of this realm would safely let us loop around. If anything that's just as good in helping us reach land, just on another _hemisphere_.”

Woodie scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, “Hermisphere? I heard seasons flip opposite of Canada’s hermisphere, don't like the sound of that, no sir…”

“Näivaty won't bring us anywhere, have faith in my captainship.”

Walani breathed through her lips in a joking manner hearing Maxwell's response. Faith…in him? We should've placed a vote on who gets to wear the big nautical hat. Walani could only think about how boring this trip is. Being crammed like a can of sardines already wouldn't leave enough room for a cruise nap. 

The sun started to dip into the horizon of the ocean. Painting a watercolor of warm hues across the sky. The vibrant display was a quant change from the endless blue tones that etched into Wilson’s eyes. The vessel was now passing by a bull kelp field with green buoyant bulbs bobbing above the waves. Wilson peered into the water to see the leafy stems, the long stems disappeared down into the blue abyss. Seeing this made his heart skip a beat from the reminder of how long it would take to sink down into the bottom. He closed his eyes and inhaled a breath to look break away from the thought. His eyes shot open when he heard a shout.

“Set the anchor down!”, Maxwell ordered to Woodie in haste. The boat was sailing into the direction of a large rock-like structure. It stuck out from the blue like a sore thumb. 

Woodie let the anchor free and the rope unrolled down into the sea. The ship continued to move closer until the delay of the anchor ceased. With a small heave the ship finally stopped in place. It was scraping against the sea stack which knacked at the nerves of everyone. 

Warly raised a hand at Maxwell, “I could’ve seen that coming, _cap_.” Maxwell didn’t reply at the comment and clenched his hands on the steering wheel to turn the masts. The sails kept hold of the wind, the ship stopped bobbing against the stack. Maxwell gave the word to Woodie to let up the anchor to continue the voyage.

It was a sigh of relief that there was no major damage to the haul from the interaction. Wilson thought back to the inventory brought onto the boat. He kept thinking about what if something were to happen. If the boat had gotten into another scrape and gained a leak there was no repair kits to help patch it up. There wasn’t enough time to gather the materials to make it. Lumber was necessary to create a full ship, and Woodie’s dietary needs added on to the limit of wood to gather in time. On the topic of wood, the lumberjack’s cravings were starting to gnaw into his nerves. Wilson noticed that Woodie has been stripping off pieces from the wood supply. Though has he been starting to eat them down to the heartwood? 

Watching the large man eat reminded Wilson of another task at hand. The voyage was long enough to have a required need of on board eating. Wes’ stomach rumbled a growl which Wilbur took notice of when from seated right next to him. This made him embarrassed and look up at the master chef, then point to his portable cooking pot. The chef gave a smirk to reassure him that he’d be glad to prepare something quick but delectable. He put his hands into his chef pouch and pulled out two durians. With the use of a razor he cracked open the foul smelling fruit and placed them into the pot. He then took out some softened butter and sliced pieces to add in. The crew's paid attention to his hands prepare the meal. Drizzling in a fair amount of honey to the bubbling cooking ware.

Warly placed the top back down onto it and looked up to see all eyes were on it. He gave a grin as he loves to gain an appreciation of his work. After some minutes passed he picked up the lid by the handle to examine the readiness of the dish, superb. He handed a dish of fruity crepes to the mime with a smile. Wes gave a warm smile back and took the offer. Wilbur was between them eyed at the glistening meal, giving a small "_Ooo Oh_." It didn't take long before Wes gobbled up the entire plate, but this moment of peace was to be short lived.

"Hey what's that over there?", stated Walani pointing out at a dark edge. Everyone turned their heads to a sound of rushing water. 

Woodie stood up immediately to examine the distance, "_T-T-That_ looks like uh-". He paused to look down at the red axe in his hands. "That's right Lucy it's the edge of the world!", he hollered in fear.

"Woah! _Gnarly_ view'', stated Walani at the sight.

"Everyone hold on I'll be turning this ship around!", Maxwell ordered as he turned the steering wheel. The force of the turning was great enough to turn the wooden platform to dip into the waves soaking half of the ship.

Wilson glanced at the distance to only see deep falls all along the edge. Beyond the falls was an ocean of cardboard cutout waves that reach out to the seemingly endless void. Everyone frantically held down items and structures. Though the darkness of the sky came at the worst time. The black sky blankets over the passengers. Some of the crew were able to manage bringing out a torch to fend off the dark. Though this wasn't the end of nautical scares. A large sea stack quickly went into view just a few feet away from the ship. Then came another in the east. The small light from the torches couldn't help determine when's the next stack going to come into view. 

Until a large bump knocked people off their balance. A round rock dented the haul bending some boards to let in a gushing leak to the boat. Wilson hopped up to pull up the mast ropes to tie it back. 

Maxwell saw what Wilson was doing and asked him, "What on Constant are you doing?! You should patch up that leak!"

"If you aren't going to direct us away from these the ship is going to further run into this boulder!" Wilson replied.

Maxwell felt the sea water soak into his dress shoes. He wouldn't admit it but this situation wasn't getting any better. Letting go of the steering wheel he searched into the cargo to haul out a tied up bundle. 

Wilson looked over again at Maxwell once he finished tying a knot for the mast, "_Now_ what are you planning?"

"This Mr. Higgsbury, is an emergency boat", he laid the wooden structure to unfold onto the waves. Pulling out a paddle he slowly moved away from the sinking vessel.

Warly took notice on the escaping captain, "Hey! As Captain it's _your_ duty to let passengers leave the ship first!"

Maxwell was already a ways distance from them, he looked around and yelled, "I'm sorry! The waves already taken me far away and I can't paddle fast enough to get back to you!" The light on the surprise lifeboat was already getting smaller and smaller. Wilson couldn't decide if Maxwell really couldn't come back, or if it was a selfish move. The act had left the rest of the crew in shock on what to do now. 

Woodie was panicking looking through the packed chests for any material, "Don't we got _any_ patchy thingamajigs?" 

Walani took to her surfboard and laid it onto the water, "I don't know but I think my board got one room left for ya". That was an offer Woodie couldn't refuse. He shakily sat onto the small surfboard holding a torch as Walani paddles off. 

Warly had taken a similar route and had already placed the crock pot afloat onto the ocean with its legs folded in. Wilbur was going bananas in the situation and so hopped onto the chef's shoulders to cling onto. Taking one last look at the remaining people on a sinking ship, he called out, "Au Revoir..!".

Wilson's heart raced as he's now left alone on the ruined vessel next to Wes, who knelt onto the wooden boards. Wet face paint made colorful drops into the water. He was shaking gripping onto a torch close to fend off the cold waters. As Wilson kept his eyes on him he went to him.

"Do you know how to swim?", he asked Wes who then nodded his head no. "Neither do I..."

The boards buckled and a mast breaks off to slam down near them creating a splash of sea spray and splinters. Wilson gripped onto the soggy sleeves of the mime in fear. He wondered if the ocean beneath have horrors waiting to claim them. The search for the mystical lunar landmass was a miss for this quest. To only result in the breaking up of their group and their boat. 

The boards break up again splitting up beneath them. Wilson and Wes fall into the water. They scramble to hold onto something to help them afloat. The light pieces of ship wreck bobbed away from their desperate arms. There was only darkness as the embers of the last remaining torch dies out from moisture. Wilson's body was dragged down from water logged clothing . He felt his heart beating harder and faster, begging for air for his lungs. The last thing he could feel was hands cling to his side as his head went dizzy from lack of oxygen. Salt water warbled in his ears and kept his eyes shut, until it eventually overcomes him.


End file.
